The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited is admitted to be prior art.
Biological scaffolds are natural or artificial structures capable of facilitating a variety of physiological processes. Such scaffolds can be formed in situ or in vitro as prefabricated matrices defined by a specific shape or structure. These scaffolds serve multiple purposes, such as, supporting cell or tissue attachment, migration, delivery, and retention. In addition to cells and/or tissues, biological scaffolds can contain bioactive agents, pharmaceutical compounds, and/or fluids, e.g., cell growth medium. As such, biological scaffolds can be seeded with cells and cultured in vitro or directly implanted into a tissue. However, three-dimensional tissue engineering requires additional considerations relating to scaffold-tissue matrices.
Tissue engineering involves the use of biological macromolecules and living cells to develop suitable substitutes for tissue or organ replacement. In order for such complex structures to develop, however, the biological scaffolds from which they form must support cell and tissue growth that is similar to natural tissue organogenesis. Along these lines, tissue engineering applications require structures composed of varying degrees of thickness and size, which can affect tissue durability. The structure and stability of newly formed tissues can vary and, for applications requiring scaffold removal, a non-disruptive separation of the scaffold-tissue complex is necessary to ensure the integrity of the tissue. Accordingly, mechanisms for severing the scaffold-tissue complex constitutes an important consideration in the development of new strategies for tissue engineering.